Moscow is keen to boost trade turnover with Ankara and expects the Turkish partners to lift barriers against exports of Russian products, Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksei Meshkov said on the sidelines of the 8th Gaidar Forum.

“When the Russia-Turkey relations started to recover the sides agreed on gradual lifting of economic restrictions imposed for the crisis period,” he said.

According to Meshkov, this is particularly related to the fact that since that time the market environment in Russia has changed as the Turkish producers’ niche has been occupied by Russia-made products or those from third countries.” “It’s more reasonable for Turkish exporters to focus on the products that are not produced in Russia or are produced in small quantities,” he added.

“Now we together with Ankara will have to think how to increase and diversify the trade turnover solely on mutual benefit,” Deputy Minister said, adding that Moscow “expects the Turkish partners to also lift barriers for exports of Russian producers, including meat and dairy products, and create a favorable environment for Russian investors in Turkey.”

“As of today, we’ve already lifted many restrictions, particularly, imports of citrus and stone fruits from Turkey are allowed,” Meshkov said, adding that “the persisting restriction on imports of certain Turkish food products is tied with unprejudiced concerns of relevant Russian bodies regarding proper observance of the country’s quality standards.”

The Gaidar Forum is an annual international economy-related conference and one of Russia’s biggest such events. Being held since 2010, it was established in memory of Egor Gaidar, a Russian economist and ideologist of reforms of the early 1990s. The forum’s organizers are the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, the Egor Gaidar Institute of Economic Policy (known as Institute of Transition Period Economy before 2010) and the Association of Russian Innovation Regions. The organizing committee in chaired by Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov. Traditionally, the country’s officials, top experts and businessmen participate in the forum.

Source: Tass